(1)
How many subscribers had their telephone lines upgraded from the beginning of 1968 to date.

(2)
What is the estimated number of subscribers whose telephone lines will be upgraded from the present to the end of 1972.

(3)
What was the average length of line upgraded for each subscriber from the beginning of 1968 to date.

(4)
What is the estimated average length of line which will be upgraded for each subscriber from the present to the end of 1972.

(5)
What was the average cost of upgrading each line for the last year for which figures are available.

Mr Hulme
- The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1)
Statistics ure not available of the number of subscribers who had the privately owned sections of their telephone lines upgraded during 1968. Revised conditions governing the provision and upgrading of privately owned sections of lines to Post Office specifications were introduced in 1969 and became fully operational during July of that year. Apart from the subscribers whose private sections of lines were completely replaced by Departmental construction, during the period JulyDecember 1969, 96 subscribers with private sections of lines accepted the new conditions for upgrading of their lines to Post Office specifications.

(2)
It is not possible to estimate the number of subscribers whose private telephone lines will be upgraded from the present lime to the end of 1972. The number involved will depend on several factors such as the condition of the existing private sections of lines, the number of manual exchanges to be convened to automatic operation requiring the upgrading of some existing lines, the amount of Departmental construction which can be provided to serve existing subscribers and new applicants on conversion of manual exchanges to automatic working and the number of subscribers and applicants who will proceed under the revised conditions.

(3)
Statistics are not available of the average length of private sections of lines which have been upgraded from the beginning of 1968 to the present time.

(4)
See answer to (2) above.

(5)
The costs associated with upgrading privately owned sections of lines are not maintained because these costs are the responsibilities of the subscribers concerned who have the option of having the Post . Ollice do the work on their behalf, carrying out the work themselves or employing a private contractor. Even when the Post Office does the work on behalf of the subscribers the cost can vary depending upon whether underground cable or aerial construction is used, the nature of the terrain and whether the subscriber contributes materials, labour or mechanical aids. Then, too, individual subscriber's costs are affected by the number of subscribers and/or applicants on a particular route.

The average costs per occupied bed day in nursing homes revealed by the survey were: